


Commitment

by Aidaran, StarTravel



Series: Five Valentines [4]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22745968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aidaran/pseuds/Aidaran, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTravel/pseuds/StarTravel
Summary: The war rages on around them, but Julian and Garak still find a corner of happiness on the Defiant.
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Series: Five Valentines [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631692
Comments: 6
Kudos: 93





	Commitment

Julian had been trying to sleep for what felt like hours. Finally, resigned to another night of insomnia and sad thoughts, he sat on his bed in the Defiant staring off into the distance of space. There were so few stars here.

Garak had been working all day too, helping the ship navigate through several hard battles, so he was almost asleep at his side. Still, he moved and touched his leg. “Is something the matter, dear?"

“I’m just thinking about how empty this particular corner of space is.” Better to think that than to think of the images that kept coming to his mind every time he closed his eyes. There was no escaping from the reality of war in the medbay.

"Empty is not that bad, considering how busy today felt. For a moment I thought we wouldn't make it out alive." 

They had found a full Jem’hadar fleet earlier, and for a moment they really thought it was the end for their little ship.

“I... yes, we have been coming closer and closer to death everyday lately.”

"At least if we die we'll be going together, I guess."

Julian stiffened at that, taking in a sharp breath. He leaned back against Garak, reaching a hand toward him. His voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t want you to die.”

"I'm not sure how much of that's in our hands. I can make the ship maneuver and duck, you can patch us up the best you can, but we are not the only ones that depend on. If I believed in fate, I’d say it certainly is not up to us to decide what it will be at this point of our lives."

“I — marry me then.” Julian said it suddenly and urgently, squeezing Garak’s hand tightly as he pulls him closer to him.

"... what?"

Garak's eyes suddenly opened at that. And to think he fancied himself as knowing Julian better than anybody else. The human still managed to surprise him sometimes.

“Marry me. We should — I want to be with you and want people to know we were together, and then if one of us is injured or... worse, we’ll be allowed in the hospital room and -“

"Yes."

He cut Julian's rambling, feeling he couldn't utter any other word that that one, voice barely a whisper.

“And of course it would be -“ Julian stopped himself, eyes wide as he stared at Garak. He could feel hope building in his chest. “Yes?”

"Yes. Do you think the captain is awake right now, or do we have to wake him?" He, at least, was completely awake now, and feeling an energy that he wasn’t sure was coming from, considering how exhausted he’d been some moments before.

“We might have to wake him — it could go either way, really. He was tired but I’m sure his brain refuses to turn off.” Julian took his hand between both of his and squeezed it, leaning in quickly to kiss him.

"Jadzia and Miles could act as witnesses. I read the human ceremony usually requires two of those. The Cardassian one is a bit more complex, but I think we can leave that one for when my land is free. As a promise."

“Yes, yes. We’ll need to get dressed up — it would hardly be a wedding if we came in our pajamas.” Julian looked down at his suit, apologetically but without losing any of the excitement in his gaze.

Garak smiled and pushed Julian back, hovering over him playfully. He felt... giddy. Young. He had hope for the first time in what seemed an eternity. "Surely it'd be a wedding everybody would remember, though. Or we could have a betazoid wedding." 

“Oh, don’t tempt me. After all, I’m not exactly modest, am I?” Julian teased as he leaned in and pressed his forehead against Garak’s. Julian followed Garak’s gaze to his pajamas, which were buttoned up to the collar and they both laughed. .

Garak cocked his head and raised his eyeridges at that, enjoying the fact that it seemed Julian was almost back to being himself. He’d been so sad, demoralized, hopeless, Garak had started to worry he’d never get him back from that state. "And also half the ship may want to steal you afterwards, once they know what you hide under your uniform."

“You think? I’m more worried about you. After all, no one here knows how attractive your tail is but me.” He brushed the tip of it with his toes, gently stroking it.

"But my tail is always on display, dear. One would assume they already know how it looks."

“Somewhat, but not how it looks at the top. Or what it can really do.”

"Mm, so, what you say, should we go wake the captain up and have him grunt his blessings, or start the honeymoon before?" He kissed the side of his neck, realizing both options were equally attractive. He’d missed that playful intimacy, the simple joy of being together.

“Let’s get him to grunt his blessings. Here, I’ll wear that suit you made me.” One of the meager belongings he’d grabbed when they had to run had been that, a soft dark green suit Garak had prepared for one of their holoprograms. 

"Actually, I packed a new one when we ran from the station, just in case. I planned on giving it to you when we got to my land, but it seems Cardassia grows further every day." He rummaged through his belongings until he found a matching pair of traditional kardassi outfits.

They were cream colored, with embroidery on the collar and wrists. The fabric seemed to shine, and change colors according to where the light hit, but they were all armonic, soft tones, and the effect was mesmerizing. 

Julian held the fabric up lovingly, running a hand down the front of the intricate patterns. “Oh Garak, they’re lovely.”

"I fear I may have to adjust them a little. Yours will be loose now."

Julian gave him an apologetic smile, pressing his cheek against the sleeve of his shirt. “Too many times choosing between sleep and food for both of us, I’m afraid.”

Garak touched the shirt softly, pushing away the sadness of not being able to give him the surprise in Cardassian lands, but on space, in a cold ship floating in an empty and dark vastness. "Try it."

Julian slipped the shirt on, buttoning it up and then standing out with his arms spread out. He felt how exact the measurements were, even if in some areas now the fabric seemed loose.

Garak looked at him with a professional mask on his face, expression perfectly neutral except for the sparkle in his gaze. "Yes, I think I'll have to adjust it a bit. Hope the captain and your friends don't mind being woken up in an hour."

“Thank you, darling. The pants might need a bit of altering as well.” Julian noted as he pulled them up, frowning at the bagginess at the waist. Maybe he was choosing sleep over food a few many times after all. .

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Garak worked silently and reverently on him, until he was satisfied with the result. He then worked on his own, with the same soft worship. Julian realized there were probably meanings and traditions that still escaped him, not just cardassian, but purely Garak ones. 

Julian smiled softly and spun around once, leaning in to kiss Garak on the cheek. “Do I look as fetching as the first you saw me in the replimat?”

"Even moreso, now. So, shall we go wake some people up?"

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are loved!


End file.
